The present application relates to subject matters described in application which will be filed on Feb. 28, 2001 by N.Ozaki, T. Matsumura, T. Minowa, T. Okada and T. Ochi and entitled AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL METHOD AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROLLER and assigned to the assignee of the present application, and to application which will be filed on Feb. 28, 2001 by T. Matumura, H. Sakamoto, M. Kayano and T. Ochi and entitled CONTROL METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE and assigned to the assignee of the present application. The disclosure of these applications are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a control apparatus and method of a vehicle.
As a vehicle provided a gear type transmission mechanism, this type of vehicle has been conventionally known which utilizes a friction clutch as the smallest gear ratio of the gear type transmission, controls the input shaft speed of the transmission to be in synchronous to the output shaft speed by slipping this friction clutch when shifting the gear, and corrects the torque lowered in shifting the gear by means of the torque transmitted by the friction torque for the purpose of realizing smoother gear shifting. The representative one of this type of vehicle is disclosed in JP-A-61-45163.
In shifting the gear, however, if the revolution speed is controlled only through the use of the friction clutch, the output shaft torque corrected by the friction clutch is made so variable that a passenger in a vehicle may disadvantageously feel uncomfortable with the vehicle.
Further, when terminating the gear shifting, if the correction for the lowered torque in gear shifting, corrected by the friction clutch, is not matched to the input shaft torque transmitted to the output shaft through a mesh type clutch, disadvantageously again, the torque may be abruptly changed.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a control apparatus and method of a vehicle which are constructed to suppress the variation of the output shaft torque of the transmission caused by the control of the rotation speed in gear shifting and to reduce the abrupt change of the torque caused in terminating the gear shifting, for improving the performance in gear shifting.
In the gear shifting, the mesh type clutch may be engaged by matching the revolution speeds. The adverse effect by a control error and a variety of an oil pressure brings about inertia torque caused by the deviation of the revolution speed (ratio) in engaging the mesh type clutch, which inertia torque may lead to a vibrating torque variation (shaft vibration). It is a further object of the present invention to alleviate the inertia torque and thereby suppressing the torque variation, for improving the performance in gear shifting of a vehicle.
The present invention concerns with a control apparatus of a vehicle which provides torque transmission devices between an input shaft and an output shaft of a gear type transmission, uses a friction clutch for the torque transmission device of at least one gear ratio position and a mesh type clutch for the torque transmission device of another gear ratio position, and control the friction clutch when shifting one gear ratio position to another position. This apparatus includes a lowered torque correcting unit for correcting the lowered output shaft torque in shifting the gear and a revolution speed control unit for controlling a input shaft speed on the basis of the corrected value of the lowered torque given by the lowered torque correcting unit.
More preferably, the control apparatus of a vehicle includes a torque adjusting unit for adjusting the input shaft torque when terminating the gear shifting on the basis of the corrected value of the lowered torque.
Further, the present invention concerns with a control method of a vehicle which is arranged to provide a torque transmission device between an input shaft and an output shaft of a gear type transmission, use a friction clutch for the torque transmission device of at least one gear ratio position and a mesh type clutch for the torque transmission device of another gear ratio position, and control the friction clutch in shifting one gear ratio position to another gear ratio position. This control method includes the steps of correcting the lowered output shaft torque in gear shifting and controlling the input shaft speed on the corrected value of the lowered torque.
More preferably, the control method of a vehicle according to the invention is arranged to adjust the input shaft torque when terminating the gear shifting on the basis of the torque corrected value.
Further, the invention concerns with a control apparatus of a vehicle which is constructed to separate a torque transmission system located between the input shaft and the output shaft of the gear type transmission into a first transmission system and a second transmission system, each of which is composed of a combination of mesh type clutches, use the friction clutches for the torque transmission systems located between an engine and the first transmission system and between the engine and the second transmission system, and control the friction clutches in shifting one gear ratio position to another. The control apparatus includes a lowered torque correcting unit for correcting the lowered output shaft torque in gear shifting and a revolution speed control unit for controlling the input shaft speed on the basis of the corrected value of the lowered torque given by the lowered torque correcting unit.
More preferable, the control apparatus of a vehicle according to the invention includes a torque adjusting unit for adjusting the input shaft torque in terminating the gear shifting on the basis of the corrected value of the lowered torque.
Further, the present invention concerns with a control method of a vehicle in which a torque transmitting system located between an input shaft and an output shaft of a gear type transmission is separated into a first transmission system and a second transmission system, each of which is a combination of mesh type clutches, the torque transmitting systems located between an engine and the first transmission system and between the engine and the second transmission system are friction clutches, and the friction clutches are controlled when one gear stage is changed into another gear stage, the method including the step of correcting the lowered torque value of the output shaft in the gear shifting during the shifting, and the step of controlling a said input shaft speed on the basis of the corrected lowered torque correction.
More preferably, the control method of a vehicle according to the invention is arranged to adjust the input shaft torque when terminating the gear shifting on the basis of the torque corrected value.
Further, the invention concerns with a control apparatus of a vehicle wherein devices for transmitting torque are located between an input shaft and an output shaft of a gear type transmission, the torque transmitting device of at least one gear stage is a friction clutch, said torque transmitting device of another gear stage is a mesh type clutch, and the friction clutch is controlled when one gear stage is changed into another gear stage, said apparatus including a unit for suppressing torque variation of said output shaft taking place when the mesh type clutch is engaged by means of at least one friction clutch provided in the gear type transmission in the case of the gear shifting.
Further, the present invention concerns with a control apparatus of a vehicle which is constructed to provide a torque transmission device between an input shaft and an output shaft of a gear type transmission, use a friction clutch for the torque transmission device of at least one gear ratio position and a mesh type clutch for the torque transmission device of another gear ratio position, and control the friction clutch in shifting one gear ratio position to another. The control apparatus includes a torque variation suppressing unit for suppressing the torque variation of the output shaft generated in engaging the mesh type clutches through the effect of at least one friction clutch located in the gear type transmission.
Moreover, the present invention concerns with a control method of a vehicle which is constructed to locate a torque transmission device between an input shaft and an output shaft of a gear type transmission, use a friction clutch for the torque transmission device of at least one gear ratio position and a mesh type clutch for the torque transmission device of another gear ratio position, and control the friction clutch in shifting one gear ratio position to another. The control method includes the step of suppressing a torque variation of the output shaft generated in engaging the mesh type clutch in gear shifting by means of at least one dynamo-electric machine located in the gear type transmission.
Further, the present invention concerns with a control apparatus of a vehicle which is constructed to locate a torque transmission device between an input shaft and an output shaft of a gear type transmission, use a friction clutch for at least one gear ratio position and a mesh type clutch for the torque transmission of another gear ratio position and control the friction clutch in shifting one gear ratio position to another. The control apparatus includes the step of suppressing the torque variation of the output shaft generated in engaging the mesh type clutch through the effect of at least one dynamo-electric machine located in the gear type transmission.